Holland Southern Route – Netherlands Bike Boat Tour

Discover the Holland Southern Route in the Netherlands on our unique Bike Boat tour. Enjoy flat cycle paths and romantic waterway harbours and cycle through former lakes and marshes which were dried up in the 17th Century.

Throughout the day you will be able to cycle at your own pace through beautiful landscapes and in the late afternoon you will be able to board your floating hotel. If you want a day of relaxing you can stay on board your accommodation and float by the passing countryside.

Day 1 - Individual arrival to Amsterdam. In the afternoon and evening you have time to get to know the city during a small shopping tour.

Day 2 - Amsterdam – Aalsmeer by boat, bike tour Aalsmeer – Leiden.
In the morning cruise from Amsterdam to Aalsmeer. You will pass 14 bridges and most of them have to be lifted a little extra for MS SIR WINSTON. In Aalsmeer your bike tour will start. Via Wernsteiner Plassen Brassemeer you reach Leiden. Although during the tulip bloom you can cycle through the blooming fields and via Lisse to Keukenhof. Approx. 42 km

Day 3 - Leiden – Alphen aan den Rijn approx. 40 km, Alphen aan den Rijn – Gouda by boat. In the morning cycle into the centre of Leiden. From there you continue to the North Sea beach Katwijk, back along the dunes and on to Alphen aan den Rijn. Journey by boat to the cheese city of Gouda. Approx. 25 km

Day 4 - Gouda – Rotterdam by boat, Rotterdam – Den Haag – Scheveningen.
Before breakfast cruise from Gouda to Rotterdam. You can choose your cycle tour for today: The first one leads you via Delft, the popula porcelain manufacturer to Den Haag, seat of government and to North Sea health resort Scheveningen. Alternatively you can go by train (rail & bike, not included) back to Rotterdam. Approx. 35 - 85 km

Day 5 - Rotterdam – Schoonhoven, Rotterdam – Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven by boat. Bike tour to Kinderdijk which is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site that has 19 wind mills in a row and then onto Schoonhoven. Alternatively you can start or end your bike tour in Kinderdijk. Approx. 43 km

Day 6 - Schoonhoven – Utrecht. Bike tour through the beautiful landscape to Oudewater or witches scale and then onto Utrecht. The dome is one of the most important domes in the Netherlands and is definitely worth seeing during your visit. Approx. 40 km

Day 7 - Utrecht – Zaandam by boat, Zaandam – Amsterdam. In the morning cruise from Utrecht to Zaandam. From here you start towards the village of “Zaanse Schans”, which is an open air museum with the idea to show the historic heritage of the Netherlands. You can visit a Dutch village, a cheese dairy, a dockyard and a workshop for wooden shoes, a bakery museum, the Zaanse clock museum and the worldwide unique dye mill “De Kat” while there. Next to the open air museum there is the Zaans museum which offers insights into the development of this area as an industrial area. Products which are fabricated there including mustard, cheese, bread can be bought. Afterwards you cycle through the local recreation area “Twiske” back to Amsterdam. In the evening you also have the possibility to do a boat tour along the canals in Amsterdam which can be booked on board. Approx. 30 km

Day 1 - Individual arrival to Amsterdam. In the afternoon and evening you have time to get to know the city during a small shopping tour.

Day 2 - Amsterdam – Aalsmeer by boat, bike tour Aalsmeer – Leiden.
In the morning cruise from Amsterdam to Aalsmeer. You will pass 14 bridges and most of them have to be lifted a little extra for MS SIR WINSTON. In Aalsmeer your bike tour will start. Via Wernsteiner Plassen Brassemeer you reach Leiden. Although during the tulip bloom you can cycle through the blooming fields and via Lisse to Keukenhof. Approx. 42 km

Day 3 - Leiden – Alphen aan den Rijn approx. 40 km, Alphen aan den Rijn – Gouda by boat. In the morning cycle into the centre of Leiden. From there you continue to the North Sea beach Katwijk, back along the dunes and on to Alphen aan den Rijn. Journey by boat to the cheese city of Gouda. Approx. 25 km

Day 4 - Gouda – Rotterdam by boat, Rotterdam – Den Haag – Scheveningen.
Before breakfast cruise from Gouda to Rotterdam. You can choose your cycle tour for today: The first one leads you via Delft, the popula porcelain manufacturer to Den Haag, seat of government and to North Sea health resort Scheveningen. Alternatively you can go by train (rail & bike, not included) back to Rotterdam. Approx. 35 - 85 km

Day 5 - Rotterdam – Schoonhoven, Rotterdam – Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven by boat. Bike tour to Kinderdijk which is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site that has 19 wind mills in a row and then onto Schoonhoven. Alternatively you can start or end your bike tour in Kinderdijk. Approx. 43 km

Day 6 - Schoonhoven – Utrecht. Bike tour through the beautiful landscape to Oudewater or witches scale and then onto Utrecht. The dome is one of the most important domes in the Netherlands and is definitely worth seeing during your visit. Approx. 40 km

Day 7 - Utrecht – Zaandam by boat, Zaandam – Amsterdam. In the morning cruise from Utrecht to Zaandam. From here you start towards the village of “Zaanse Schans”, which is an open air museum with the idea to show the historic heritage of the Netherlands. You can visit a Dutch village, a cheese dairy, a dockyard and a workshop for wooden shoes, a bakery museum, the Zaanse clock museum and the worldwide unique dye mill “De Kat” while there. Next to the open air museum there is the Zaans museum which offers insights into the development of this area as an industrial area. Products which are fabricated there including mustard, cheese, bread can be bought. Afterwards you cycle through the local recreation area “Twiske” back to Amsterdam. In the evening you also have the possibility to do a boat tour along the canals in Amsterdam which can be booked on board. Approx. 30 km

Day 8 - Departure from Amsterdam

Key Details:

When enquiring about this tour, please ask about a possible high season surcharge.

Eight day, seven night itinerary.

This tour will start and end in Amsterdam.

The total distance of this Bike Boat tour is 265km / 164 miles.

There are lots of attractions and places to explore during your cycling holiday in Holland including:

Boat - MS SIR WINSTON

Flat rides

Windmills

Delft and visit a porcelain factory

Take part in a “Grachtenrundfahrt” (shipping on the channels of Amsterdam in small boats).

South Holland - Netherlands by Bike & Boat

Discover the Holland Southern Route through the Netherlands in a unique way, on an 8 day journey by bike and boat. Well-built cycle paths as well as wide and extensive waterways guarantee an unforgettable holiday. Throughout the day you are cycling on your own through the beautiful landscape in Rembrandt’s and Van Gogh’s country. And in the late afternoon your floating hotel MS Sir Winston will be waiting. And if you decide not to cycle every day, you can stay on board and enjoy the passing countryside.
You are travelling through the green heart of the Netherlands. Hardly any province is as many-faceted than the Southern Netherlands. Big cities as well as untouched nature are so close to each other. The many waterways offer uncountable opportunities to discover the wonderful landscapes and cultural historical highlights of the province “Zuid-Holland”. Experience gorgeous lakes like the Brasse-mermeer, the porcelain manufacture in Delft with its “Delfter Blue” and cities such as Gouda, Schoonhoven and of course Rotterdam, also known as the “Manhattan on the river Maas”.